Packaged semiconductor dies, including memory chips, microprocessor chips, and imager chips, typically include a semiconductor die, mounted on a substrate and (optionally) encased in a plastic protective covering. The die includes functional features, such as memory cells, processor circuits, and/or imager devices, as well as bond pads electrically connected to these functional features. The bond pads can be electrically connected to outside terminals to allow the die to be connected to other devices, e.g., higher level circuitry.
During a conventional manufacturing process, many semiconductor dies are manufactured together on a semiconductor wafer, which is then singulated or diced to form individual dies. Once the dies have been singulated, they are typically handled by “pick and place” machines that remove the individual dies and place them at processing stations or other locations for additional manufacturing steps. As semiconductor devices have become smaller and smaller, the ability to handle individual dies without breaking them, particularly during the pick and place process, has become more challenging. Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for pick and place devices that can handle extremely thin semiconductor dies, without breaking or otherwise damaging the dies.